Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

handiwork

/ˈhændiˌwɜːk/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about handiwork at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A work produced by hand labor.

Origin

From Middle English hondywerk, handiwerc, from Old English handġeweorc (“work done by hand, creation”), from hand (“hand”) + ġeweorc (“work”). Equivalent to hand + work, though it may now be reinterpreted as handy (“skilful”) + work. Compare Saterland Frisian Hondwierk, Dutch handwerk, German Handwerk.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word